There’s something so fantastic about home-baked cookies. When I was in Europe this past summer it got to the point where I was desperate to find anything resembling the tasty morsels I’m so used to having at home. Warm, chewy, with a bite of spicy ginger, these cookies satisfied my every cookie craving–even one lasting 2 months.

freshly baked ginger oatmeal cookies

ginger oatmeal cookies

1 1/2 cups (7.5 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

2 large (3.5 ounces) eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 1/8 cup (9.5 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats

3/4 cup diced crystallized ginger

1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter

7/8 cup (7.5 ounces) firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup (2.55 ounces) white sugar

1. Position rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Line the cookie sheets with baking parchment or a silpat.

2. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and ground ginger and whisk together. In another bowl whisk together the eggs and vanilla. In a third bowl, mix the oats and crystallized ginger.

3. Using an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugars and cream together with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl frequently. Gradually add egg mixture until everything is completely combined.

4. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in stages. Mix only until everything is just combined, continuously scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. Then, add the oats and ginger and mix again on low speed until everything is evenly distributed.

5. Using a medium sized ice-cream scoop, scoop out twelve cookies per tray. Press down the tops of the cookies slightly to flatten them before baking. Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet haflway through the baking process. They should be golden brown and baked all the way through. They should be soft, but be careful not to underbake them or they will be doughy and fall apart easily.

6. Cool the cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a rack to cool completely before storing.

makes: 2 dozen cookies